Giuliani Lashes Bolton: 'He's a Backstabber'

Rudy Giuliani in a new interview is slamming former national security adviser John Bolton as a "backstabber" and a "swamp character" over reported claims in his memoir manuscript that President Donald Trump ordered aid to Ukraine paused unless investigations were done on Joe and Hunter Biden.

The president's personal attorney also told CBS News' Catherine Herridge that he does not believe Trump ever told Bolton about any conditions to release the $391 million in aid. The interview was conducted Tuesday and aired on "CBS This Morning" on Wednesday.

"There's the only conclusion I can come to, and it's a harsh one, and I feel very bad about it: He's a backstabber," Giuliani told Herridge.

Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that Bolton wrote in his upcoming book that Trump told him personally that he did not want to release the Ukraine aid unless investigations were opened. The report says a manuscript of Bolton's book was sent to the White House in December to be reviewed.

Giuliani also denied that Bolton told him to stop his corruption investigations in Ukraine, including of the Bidens, which he maintains were done on Trump's behalf.

Bolton "never said to me, 'I've got a problem with what you are doing in Ukraine,'" Giuliani told Herridge. "Never once, never winked, never sent me a little note. Classic backstabber. So I feel I got a swamp character here. I find his testimony about the president pretty close to incredible."

He also denied testimony made by former National Security Council official Fiona Hill, who said during congressional testimony in November that Bolton had complained to colleagues about Giuliani, comparing him to "a hand grenade that was going to blow everyone up."

Giuliani told Herridge that if Bolton "came up to me and said, 'Rudy, you're a grenade that'll blow up,' and he shows his face, I would say, 'I would never have the opportunity, 'cause you're an atomic bomb.'"

Giuliani also said he learned about the hold on military aid from the media, as he "never, ever discussed" the matter with Trump.

Meanwhile, Giuliani said he does not believe Bolton should testify in Trump's impeachment trial if the president feels that their discussions constitute executive privileged material.

Giuliani said he remains Trump's personal attorney and last spoke with him two days ago. He added that he remains part of the president's defense team as his attorney, but that he can't participate in what is going on with Congress "because I'm a possible witness."

• Rudy Giuliani to 'War Room': 'Very Frustrating' to Be Left Out
• Rudy Giuliani to 'War Room': No 'Courage' to Prosecute Biden